Big Time Money And Social Media

I think I can solve a lot of this world's problem with people who win lotteries and athlete who get millions of dollars just because they run fast.   First of all let's do away with the lottery winner can take cash.  If all lottery winners had to wait one year to get the next check they might not spend it all in one weekend. They would have something to look forward to knowing another check comes in eleven months since I have spent the last one already.

If I won 10 million I just can't buy but so many houses and cars and there is still plenty more. I don't think people understand how much 10 million is. What do all these people do with all that money?  As far as pro athletes are concern if they sign a contract for millions I say let them have say as a rookie $50,000 and put the rest where they have to get a monthly check for the rest of their lives.  70% of all NFL players are broke three years after they get out of football.  What do they do with their money?

 Since this country is so into letting the government give me a check every month I think any person who makes more than the President of the United States ought to have to put his money in a government savings account and by the time he is retired he can live off his money the government has been sitting on. I understand that this method is a trust in the government that they will not steal it from you. 

This blog is social media and I give my opinions sometimes that people don't agree with.  I try to keep this as positive as possible so people who agree with you tend to not comment. The ones that don't tend to be the first to hit the send button.  The new wave of social media is tweeting where everyone who can afford a cell phone can now be followed by signing up and getting accepted by the person tweeting.  I have to much to say to say it in 50 words or less.

Kids have twitter accounts now  that I know they have nothing worth waiting for them to tell me so please don't count on me to view your twitter.   I can't stand to watch a sports show on TV and I have to watch all the comments coming in on twitter.  Please start a channel just for Tweets only.  I can see it now a channel right next to the Discovery Channel.  The tweet channel the only way to get on is to tweet a comment and see it on national TV.

I bet the average person doesn't know the laws regarding cell phones, tweeting or any other method of reaching the masses.  I am of the opinion that when the day comes that a blog on the internet is old fashion and nobody goes there any more it will be time to stop this any way.  The way this world changes that might be next week.

Garner Beat Pitt County in the first game of the Area One Championships in Garner last night by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.  The final was 6-5, game two is at noon today at LeClair Stadium at ECU.  Garner is up 1-0 in this series where the winner gets a spot in the State American Legion Baseball tournament which starts July 25th in Wilson

Post 58 Saves The Day

You may have seen the high lights of the Pitt County Post 39 victory over Post 13 from Wilson Thursday on Greenville TV.  PC won to sweep the series 3 games to none.  Game three was played in Rocky Mount at Legion Field.  You see with the State Legion Tournament starting next weekend in Wilson the Wilson Tobs are playing more home games right now due to the fact they will not be able to play there for about a week.  When you compound that Wilson's other potential fields for Post 13 are muddy from all the rains up steps Post 58 to offer Legion field which was acceptable to both teams.  Too bad nobody knew about it ahead of time.

Pitt County will play Garner who beat Johnston County three games to one and the winner of that series will join Wilson July 25th when the State Tournament starts at Fleming in Wilson.  Already Morehead City and Wilmington have won the area two slots and will be coming to Wilson.

Hobbs Johnson pitched two more innings in Helena Montana and this time he gives up his first run that is earned.  His first four innings of his pro career he has allowed six hits, one earned run and struck out 3.  That is an ERA of 2.25 which is about where he was a Carolina.

I don't know whether he is injured or not but the X man Xavier Macklin has not batted for Vermont in the last week so he is still batting 208 in 24 bats.

Can you look at a minor leaguer's stats and tell what he means to his organization?  Brian  Goodwin is right now hanging at 254 batting average.  He has struck our 95 times in 93 games.  He has a total 28 extra base hits 13 doubles, 8 triples and 7 home runs.  Brian has batted more than 100 at bats more than any one else on the team.  He is playing every day.  You may remember last year when he first started in his minor league career that the Nationals said they wanted to give him about 1500 at bats in the minors.  If they want you on a certain track then you can't get an at bat sitting on the bench.

There is no doubt that since Debbie Yow has been at N C State she has found money under rocks that nobody knew money was there.  That old hay barn called Reynolds Coliseum is going to be renovated in 2015.  Women's basketball, Wrestling, Volleyball  and all of the ROTC programs will be booted out while the remodeling is done.  The old barn is getting a 34 million dollar upgrade.  I sure do hope they put Air conditioning in it.

The Baseball Pipeline

Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation will send multiple teams to the Tar Heel State Championships.  Five teams from 7 to 12 years of age took part in this weeks district six tournament played in Rocky Mount.  Two won their division, two others finished second and one of those lost out to another Rocky Mount team and the last team finished third.  The Rocky Mount area continues to put quality teams on the field when they hit the playoffs.

If you consider the two senior league teams that is 24 players that the recreation department has sent into the Tar Heel Tournaments. You must remember that not of these all stars are 12 as two or 3 are 11 years old.  All Stars teams to a certain degree are like the regular season teams.  All teams have three players that could play on any team they are just that good.  Then there are about five that are good ball players and three that when they face other all star pitchers ride the pine in the playoffs.

Now players come from all over to play in Rocky Mount so when these all stars make their way up to high school those 12 players are divided just in Nash County by six high schools.  Throw in one or two that might be playing at SouthWest, Tarboro or even North Edgecombe those all stars at 12 years of age are scattered all over the place depending on what school district they live or private school they attend.

It has been 2008 since any Rocky Mount area high school won the state title in baseball and since then not many have advanced very deep into the playoffs.  Yes the city of Rocky Mount provides plenty of players  that as they progress through high school they are extremely good high school players.  In order to make a state champion in high school there must be a year when they all seem to go to the same school.  When you look at the college players  that team put out in 2008 more than half the team played D-1 baseball and higher.

Of course if we want to win the State High school baseball championship every year the answer is built a county high school with 5,000 students where just about every player who went through the little league program stay together in high school.  Obviously only 16 or so could play high school ball that way so the answer in not a bigger school.  We want as many of our children to have extra circular activities in school as possible.  Crime statistics show a child that is idle is the one committing the crimes.

So we must wait for the next time when one of our high schools gets an extra amount of extra special players to help lead them to another state title.  Who knows those  7/8,9/10,11/12 year old representing us in Williamston just might be the next crop of state champions once they hit high school.

Rocky Mount Wins Two District Titles

 Last night I made a trip out to the sports complex to see where the District Six Tar Heel Little League tournament was going on.  Since my attention has been with Legion and that is over if there was going to be a Rocky Mount team still playing WHIG-TV would video a game if any were available to do Tuesday.  Sure enough the National League Senior Little league all stars had to lose twice Tuesday to not win the District.

WHIG-TV was there tonight to do that game when we found out that by 10:30 Last night (Monday)that the Midgette National League All Stars from Rocky Mount had knocked off the American League Rocky Mount team to create a winner take all final tonight.  Two Rocky Mount teams playing with only one that can make it to the State Championships  why lets switch and do the 9/10 year old final.

Since the 11/12 year old game  Rocky Mount Nationals had to lose once to create a winner take all we chose two Rocky Mount teams over one.  Glad we did.  The Rocky Mount National Senior team beat  Zebulon 12-0 and Zebulon only batted three times.  Yes there is the mercy Rule when you have a ten run lead after four innings in little league but the also have the 12 run rule after three.  Rocky Mount never batted in the third.  Zebulon didn't have a chance today.

The National league is coached by Donnie Whitley with his assistance Sam Toler who must have more state titles than any coach in North Carolina.  Paul Legaj and Jeff Robison will all help lead this team all the way to Willaimston on July 25th.  Rocky Mount gets a wildcat in the first game as they will play the host Williamston.

The 9/10 year old game the RM American stuck for three runs in the first and never got a hit.  The National all stars pecked away getting two in the second.  The hit of the night occurred when the bases were loaded when Coleston Dempsey hit a one hopper off the wall to clear the bases and give his team a 5-3 lead which they would never surrender the lead.  The Americans cut it to 5-4 but by the games end Rocky Mount Nationals  Midgette team is headed to the State Championship  and Rocky Mount American's dreams are shattered. after a 13-8 win.

7/8 year old coach pitch team lost in 9 innings the district championship but in their division the #2 and 3 teams also get in and Rocky Mount joins Wendell Blue  and Wendell white as the three teams from District 6 playing in the Tar Heel State championships.  Rocky Mount rec has won 7 state titles since 1991 and three more teams will try to get a plaque on the wall of champions heading into the little league end of the sports complex.

Summer Baseball About To Come To A Close

The Area One East final series got under way Monday night, yes it was suppose to start Sunday but you know it, got rained out in Wilson.  The fifth seed Wilson Post 13 led 6-0 after five innings and gave up five runs in the top of the ninth and Pitt County Post 39 takes a 1-0 lead in the series  with a 9-7 win..

Should Wilson win this series with Pitt County then the area One West winner will also qualify for the State Tournament regardless of who was to win the Wilson-Area One West winner. If Pitt County wins then the winner of the Garner/Johnston County game qualifies for the State Tournament.  You see the East only gets two teams in and Wilson as the host is one of them.

Going into Monday night the Junior Legion qualifying Tournament that has been held this weekend at Legion Field and RMA and with all the rain it was extended into Monday.  The top two teams qualify for the next round of the Junior Legion playoffs and Rocky Mount Post 58's team was already out of the  tournament.  They join the Senior Legion at the beach for the summer.

Also Monday night  the Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation hosted Tar Heel District Tournament was also pushed into Monday and Tuesday.  Even with all the rain if they had of played later in the night Saturday and Sunday the tournament could have been almost finished Monday.  Tar Heel pitching rules dictate that a team can only play so many games in one day so that tournament was going strong Monday night.

One field had the Rocky Mount Pee Wee 7/8 year old team playing for the district title on Monday.  It was tied 10-10 going extra innings.  I hope to up date the winner later this morning.

Another field had a losers bracket 9/10 year American League Rocky Mount was winning that game.  If they won that game at 8pm they were playing the National league Rocky Mount  team for the district title.  Should the American win they play again Tuesday .  If the National League All Stars won they are the champs.

Then on another field the 11/12 year old National League team was playing needing to win to play again at 8pm.  Should they win both games then they play the Rocky Mount 11/12 year old American league team Tuesday and must beat them twice.  WHIG-TV just might have the cameras there for that one.

Need To Catch Up

Maintaining a blog and there are not many days that I don't post something it is hard to keep up with every thing that is going on in the area that everyone wants to hear about.  There are many of you that phone me,  text me, e-mail me and then there are the people when they run into me in life everyday will say did you know  this or that.  I want to thank each and everyone of you for what ever participation you have that helps me with the information passed  each day.  I just can't be everywhere  and with Legion PA announcing  taking up time during the summer I see Legion ball but other things I don't so I am grateful anytime you put me on a trail to let the world know what is going on in this area.  Let's see if we can catch up on a few things.

First off Wilson Post 13 advanced as the fifth seed and is playing Pitt County Post 39 the sixth seed for the Area one East final.

Marshall Leonard a 1993 graduate of Northern Nash is the new Cross County and track and field coach at Nash Central replacing the retired Brian Winham.  Leonard has been the assistant under Winham the last four years.

The North Carolina High school coaches association convention  begins July 22nd in Greensboro always during the week the East/West all star games are play as entertainment.
J'Kyra Brown and Kelsey Daniels from Rocky Mount High will play in the girls game at 6.30 on Monday night in the Greensboro Coliseum.

Rocky Mount's M J Gainey got a call last week and had a chance to play in the boys game but MJ has reinjured his knee and will not be able to play.

Tuesday the 23rd will be soccer night and Southern Nash's Carlos Levin and Tarboro's Travis Martin will be playing and Tarboro's coach Leshaun Jenkins will be the coach.  Soccer will be played at UNC Greensboro's Soccer stadium.

Wednesday belongs to football and Nash Central's Jarod Richardson is the only Nash County player.

New Northern football coach Randy Raper is the head coach of the east and he will have assisting him SouthWest  Edgecombe coach Jeff Gould.  Football will be played this year at A J Simeon Stadium in High Point.

Rain has tormented both the city of Rocky Mount hosting the Tar Heel District baseball Tournament and the Junior Legion qualifying tournament both were held in Rocky Mount this weekend. I hope tomorrow to be able to tell you how are locals did.

Post 58 Season In Review

I think all of the old timers that follow Legion baseball would all tell you that this just completed season will be one remembered for the quirky year that unfolded more than the play on the field.

It all started when Rocky Mount Academy kept winning during the high school baseball season and by win after win and deeper and deeper the Eagles ventured there was less time to formulate the squad that would be Post 58 in the summer  of 2013.  That is of course no fault of anyone.  I think we all would want at least one of our local high schools every year to play in the final high school baseball game of the season and Hank Jones just happened to be the Legion coach so his time was spent more in May on RMA that Post 58.

Once P 58 opened play and beat Apex in the season opener a few days later word came that an ineligible player  was used in the game and Coleman Pitt had to forfeit their first game of the season.  The only problem was this will not be the last time we hear the word forfeit this season.

A weekend  tournament in Garner when Jones wanted to get a feel of what type of team he would have by tournament time and where P58 might stack up with them just happened to occur on the weekend of graduation of RMA and Faith Christian and this Legion team would have more private school players than any other in Rocky Mount Legion History. Just enough players are able to field a team and two losses were not close and the third was  up in the air when an injury left only eight players to take the field and another forfeit  and never finished the game.

Once conference started Albemarle failed to show on game day. A  week later when  they did show a double header was planned and the first game was washed out tied 4-4 in the eighth and the second never happened.  A scheduled double header with Ahoskie never happened after their roster dropped down so low that they didn't have enough players to finish the season.  Then Edenton shows up with eight players and no one else arrives and they forfeit two to P58.

So far we have not mentioned all the rain outs  and rescheduled games that got rain out again.  This team at best was average.  They had the best overall pitching staff but not one of the starters was an over powering pitcher.  Hitting I don't know if you could say they were average.  I think this team hit three home runs all year so they had to manufacture runs by getting multiple hits back to back and that lead in the playoffs  to not getting the big hits when needed.  The defense the last two weeks was not good but I think that can be explained as when you only play 13 inning in 19 days because of the rain outs and forfeits  there is just no practice time.

This Legion team was a reflections of our high school ball over all from this spring.  None of our public high schools teams were better than average and that is what Post 58 was this year.   Regardless of the outcome I was in the press box for every home game  and the Wilson road game and what I saw was a team that liked each other.  They gave it all they had all the time.

 I like at any game I go to pull for the team I support to win all the games.  What I don't like is here I am thinking I am wasting my time because I care more about the out come of this game than the team does.  I never once this year had that thought about this team.  This team gave me every thing they had to give every game.  As a fan I can not ask of  a team more than that.